


The Noose

by cmeiffel



Category: Banana Bus Squad
Genre: Alternate Universe, Depressing, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Suicidal Ideation, but a lil bit, tags will be added as the story progresses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:01:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27299089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmeiffel/pseuds/cmeiffel
Summary: John owns an ice cream and coffee shop. Jaren is a new customer.Or, a coffee shop au that´s not really a coffee shop au?****I'll add tags once I figure them out. Or when I figure out where I'm going with this story.
Relationships: John | KryozGaming/SMii7Y
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	1. Introduction

Hi! This is an introduction, so you're welcome to skip if you would like.

My name is eiffel, but you can also call me ave.

As I've mentioned before, this is my first time actually writing a fic. Usually I'm helping other writers edit their work. I strive to have a clean piece of work, so if you do find any mistakes, please highlight them to me :)

anyways, yeah! you can find me on tumblr with the same @.

I hope ye enjoy -ave :3


	2. Chapter 2

The streets were silent and empty. The air in the neighbourhood was cool, yet still. The peace was welcomed by two figures strolling under the dull light of the lamp posts that lined the pavements. 

“Evan, it’s literally two in the morning”, One of them spoke, “where on earth do we have to go at this ungodly hour?”

Evan chuckled softly as he continued to lead his friend around a corner. “Quit being a dramatic bitch, Jaren.”

The huff he heard from Jaren made him roll his eyes with a smile. After silently walking for a few more minutes, The two Canadians finally stopped in front of a little shop.

Unlike the other shops around it, this one was glowing with neon lights lining the windows. There was a sign on the door bearing the name of the place in bold, bright green letters.

“The Noose?”, Jaren read aloud. “What kind of name is the Noose?”

Evan stayed silent and pushed open the door for them to enter. He sighed as the familiar jingle of the bells at the door rang through the small place. Automatically, he went straight for the counter in the middle and sat on one of the barstools.

Jaren lingered at the entrance as he surveyed his surroundings. The walls were covered in various forms of ink, brands and marks graffitied on them. Typical diner-like booths filled the shop almost completely, leaving enough space for a counter in the middle. 

“You just gonna stand there or what?” Evan called. Jaren stuck out his middle finger and plopped down beside his friend.

“Dude, this is the sketchiest place I have ever been in”, he commented.

Evan snickered, “Wait ‘till you see the owner.”

Just as he finished his sentence, someone quite literally jumped up from behind the counter. "Welcome to my hole in the wall!"

The unexpected greeting caused Jaren to fall off his barstool. Now on the floor, he stared up at Evan who was laughing his ass off.

A face leaned over the counter and smiled at the boy on the floor. 

"Hi, sorry about that. Do you need help?" the stranger questioned.

Jaren blushed and shook his head, scurrying to get up. Once sat on the stool again, Jaren took in the stranger before him. Soft brown hair was pulled into a bun on top of a pale head. Blue orbs shone under fluorescent light. His lips formed a smile that warmed Jaren. 

"You like what you see?"

Jaren realised he was staring and coughed nervously, face turning red.

Evan once again burst into laughter at his friend's behaviour. "Damn Smit, take a picture. It'll last longer."

The stranger chuckled too, bringing the attention to him. 

"Smit?" he asked. 

"Smitty, actually. But formally known as Jaren," The boy nodded.

"I'm John, but I respond to Kryoz too." 

"Nice to meet you."


	3. Chapter 3

"So what is this place, really?" Smitty questioned curiously, "Because you look like you secretly sell drugs in the back, and guessing by a name like The Noose, you probably do."

"John here sells ice-cream and coffee," Evan said.

"Only," he pointedly added, raising his eyebrows at John. "Because he can´t bother to get other actual foods to sell."

The latter smirked, unaffected by Evan's comment. "Not only that, my dear Smithers, I also wholly own this shop and I keep it open 24/7."

"24/7? Can you manage? I mean, arent you're working alone like this with no help? Don't you need to like sleep and shit?" Smit asked, noting but ignoring how John said his name.

"Yeah, John, don't you need sleep?" The tone was innocent, but the smirk on Evan's face was anything but.

"Evan how about you fuck off to the back and get yourself a cone," John said.

Apparently that was all that was needed for Evan to jump up, over the counter and disappear into the back room.

Smitty raised his eyebrows as if to say _what was that about?_

John sighed and explained that Evan once caught him snoozing behind the counter a couple of times and has been bugging him about caring more about his business than his health.

"I'll be honest, I do sleep when there's no customers. And there really is hardly anyone who comes here during the day. Only the regulars like the idiot in the back and a few others. It's usually busier from late afternoons to early morning the next day. You've got students coming in and pulling all-nighters to get work done. And then there are those who come in trying to escape home."

"And that's how you met Evan, isn't it?" Smitty's question felt more like a statement. "That was how we got to know each other too. We bonded over video games and shit families."

They both shared a moment of silence, remembering their own pasts.

"You wanna know why I call this dump The Noose?" John asked, earning a chuckle from the other.

"Yeah I kinda was wondering about that."

"I wanted this to be the place people go to when they need everything to stop."

"Damn," Smitty breathed.

"Yup."

Evan finally emerged from the back with a smudge of chocolate on his cheek.

"What are we talkin' aboot?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a lil something, yes?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flashback of when John met Evan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: There's a slight mention of suicidal ideation, but only if you squint.
> 
> This was first published in early Novemeber, but I wasn't happy with it so I did a rewrite. The version that is below is the most recent one that I'm still not that satisfied with but I decided to post it anyway.

_The rings on John's fingers glinted in the light as careful words were scrawled on the sheet. It was just before midnight on a quiet Wednesday and John was placing orders for new flavours to come in next week._

_Engrossed with calculations, he jumped when he heard the door open. In walked '_ **_Mr Tiramisu'_ ** _._

_The person, now sitting on a barstool in front of John, had been graced with that name by the latter himself. Obviously for always ordering the tiramisu flavoured ice cream each time he set foot in the shop._

_That night, however, Mr Tiramisu just sat there and stared at John. His mouth opened and closed but no words came out. His eyes were pained as he failed to form words._

_John stared back for a moment, nodded and retreated to the back to get the ice cream with an additional pot of coffee and two mugs._

_Laying all the items on the counter, he looked up at his customer._

_"Hey, you alright?" John asked._

_Mr Tiramisu- **n** _ **_**o** , John you can't keep calling the poor guy that_ ** _-sighed, shook his head and stared at the things John brought out._

_Smiling softly, John introduced himself._

_"I'm John. And I've got nothing but listening ears if you wanna talk?"_

_Daring to look up, the other whispered, "I'm Evan."_

_Greetings exchanged, Evan felt comfortable enough to share small talk with John, in between small scoops of ice cream._

_"So, Evan. I'm not gonna sugarcoat anything because I'm not that type of person," John paused, and waited for a nod from the the other before continuing, "obviously you're not alright, and since I've decided I'm your friend now, you're obligated to tell me what's wrong and why you have scars on your hands."_

_At that statement, Evan instinctively tugged at the sleeves of his hoodie._

_"It-it's nothing. I'm fine," He lied._

_"Right, and I'm fucking the queen of England," John snorted. Noticing the flinch Evan gave at the aggressiveness of his tone, he softened a little._

_"Evan, talk to me. I won't hurt you."_

_Sighing heavily, Evan dropped his head onto his hands on the counter. He wasn’t one to open up, but even though they just met, Evan found himself trusting the young shop owner. Against his better judgment, he let out everything to John._

_"I just feel so fucking pressured to be this perfect person to my parents and I just can't take it anymore. They expect me to be successful like my siblings. I mean, when will they realise that I’m my own fucking person? I already have expectations of my own that I can’t meet, and with expectations of others added to the mix, I just feel so suffocated.” Evan rants._

_“Not only do I have my family stressing me out, I’ve got my friends who don’t even know what I’m going through. They actually think I’m mentally stable. Not that I blame them though. I refuse to tell them anything,” Evan gave a huff and looked up at John._

_“Was_ **_that_ ** _what I did wrong?” he wondered aloud, “I would’ve told them, but I hate putting all my problems on other people…”_

_Evan’s eyes widened as he realised what he was doing._

_“Fuck, and now I’m dropping all my shit on you! Sorry, you probably have better things to do-”_

_John raised a finger to stop Evan. “Look, you’re clearly going through shit and I know for a fact that talking about it helps. And don’t worry about me being busy. For fuck’s sake, It’s 1am in the morning. I literally have nothing else to do. So don’t apologise.”_

_Evan nodded silently and tried to swallow to soothe the lump in his throat._

_John rested his hand on the counter and asked Evan to continue._

_“Right. Um. Yeah… so about my friends. Well, to be honest, I don’t even know if they’re really my_ **_friends_** _. Sometimes I feel like they’re just people I hang out with just for the sake of it. I could probably just drop them and I won’t feel bad.”_

_“Then do it,” John offered. “You couldn’t tell them your problems, so obviously they’re not good friends.”_

_“But there’s another reason… I couldn’t really talk to them because to them, I’m a carefree person. But I'm really not.” Evan confessed. “I care a lot actually. I care about how I look to everyone, about what everyone thinks of me. I hate myself so much and I just want everyone to have a perfect image of me. Because god knows_ **_I_ ** _don’t see myself as perfect. I just wanted to be... I don’t know… strong?” It was then that Evan noticed the tears falling down his face._

_John frowned. He got up, walked around the counter to the front, and sat on the stool next to Evan. He placed a hand on Evan's shoulder and squeezed it softly to reassure him._

_"You know balloons? How if you blow them up with too much air and they explode? That’s how I’ve been feeling. Like a balloon about to explode. I'm just so fucking useless. I can't do anything right at all, I can't focus well, I get distracted easily, I'm dumb, I'm stupid and I'm just so god damn weak. I can't do this shit anymore, John. I just want everything to stop. I'm sick and tired of never being good enough. I'm sick and tired of being who I am." His voice cracked at the end and Evan couldn't bring himself to say any more._

_John stood up and wrapped his arms around the broken man. Evan shook with sobs as he let John hold him._

_"I know," John whispered, "I know."_


	5. Please read

right, so I've been thinking about where i want to take this story and I'm here with an update. I've decided to have 'The Noose' as a series and I'll post individual works that basically takes place in this AU. I´ll keep the first few chapters like this, and maybe do an entire rewrite. I´ll indicate when certain parts are relevant to the plot, but for now that is the basic plan of where I want to go with this. Updates might take a while, but I´ll try to be as consistent as possible. Until then, thanks for reading so far and let me know what you think of this idea! and please leave kudos if you enjoyed it and comments to let me know how i can improve :)

-ave <3


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